1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a specific fraction of peach leaves extracted from said leaves and treated with activated charcoal, and also relates to a bath-additive composition comprising said specific fraction of peach leaves.
2. Description of the Background Art
Conventionally, peach leaves have been used among people as a bath-additive since they are believed to be effective for curing miliaria and eczema. Agents for external application using extracts of peach leaves; for example, bath-additive compositions, creams, and the like, are known. Prior arts relating to such extracts of peach leaves were disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-open (Kokai) No. 14,704/1988 (Title: Cosmetic composition comprising peach-leaf extract solution), Japanese Patent Laid-open (Kokai) No. 230,624/1988 (Title: Bath agent), and Japanese Patent Publication (Kokoku) No. 65,652/1988 (Title: Antibacterial and antimycotic agent).
At present, extracts of peach leaves are commercially sold as, for example, those concentrated at a temperature below 80.degree. C. after heat-extraction or cold-extraction by water or aqueous ethanol, those prepared by mixing the above concentrated materials with concentrated glycerol, or the like. All these extracts are adjusted with solvents or made into soft extracts or dry powders to be used as components for cosmetic compositions or agents for external application such as bath-additive compositions, quasi-drugs, and the like.
However, the conventional peach-leaf extracts for external application have problems of the occurrence of precipitation and inferior safety. In addition, the effects of those agents for curing inflammatory diseases such as miliaria, eczema are not necessarily sufficient.
In this regard, there have been a desire to develop a peach-leaf fraction having good solubility and stability with water, and having no precipitation problem. It is also required to be effective on inflammatory diseases such as miliaria and safer to the living body, and further it must be produced economically in industry.
In view of this situation, the present inventors have undertaken extensive studies, and, as a result, found that the above problems could be solved by a peach-leaf fraction prepared by extracting peach leaves with water or a lower alcohol, or both and treating the extracts with activated charcoal. This finding has led to the completion of the present invention.